#be an english kid and learning history in school is wild

[teaboot]

How do Canadian schools teach about indigenous Canadian history and culture? -a curious USAmerican

In my experience we learned about colonization at the same time as we learned about the formation of Canada. At first it was "European settlers came and pushed out the indigenous population", then in the higher grades we learned more about the how and the why.

For example, how carts full of men with rifles would ride around shooting Buffalo, then leaving the meat on the ground to rot, because "a dead Buffalo is a dead indian", which was so fanatical it almost wiped out wild Buffalo entirely

Also how Canadian settlers were lured in with beautiful hand-painted advertisements for cheap, beautiful, fertile land that was unpopulated and perfect, if only you'd sail over with your entire family and a pocket full of seeds- only to be met with scared, confused, and angry lawful inhabitants already run out of ten other places, and frigid winters, and rocky, forested, undeveloped dirt.

also, smallpox blankets, where "gifts" of blankets infected with smallpox were intentionally given out

And treaty violations- Either ignoring written agreements entirely, or buying them out at insanely low prices and lying about the value, or trading for farming equipment that they couldn't use because they weren't farmers.

Then in the first world war, where they told indigenous peoples here that they'd be granted Canadian citizenship if they enlisted

To Residential schools, which was straight up stealing kids for slavery, indoctrination, and medical experiments

But we also covered the building of the Canadian Railway in which Chinese immigrants were lowered into ravines with dynamite to blow out paths through the mountain for pennies on the dollar

And the Alberta Sterilization Act, where it was lawful and routine procedure to sterilize women of colour and neurodivergent people without their awareness or consent after giving birth or undergoing unrelated surgeries

But I'm rambling.

We kind of learned Aboriginal history at the same time as everything else? Like. This is when Canada was made, and this is how it was done. Now we'll read a book about someone who lived through it, and we'll write a book report. And now a documentary, and now a paper about the documentary. Onto the next unit.

And starting I think in grade 10 our English track was split between English and Aboriginals English, where you could choose to do the standard curriculum or do the same basic knowledge stuff with a focus on Aboriginal perspectives and literature. (I did that one, we read Three Day's Road and Diary Of A Part-Time Indian, and a few other titles I don't remember.)

There was also a lunch room for the Aboriginal Culture Studies where Aboriginal kids could hang out at lunch time if they wanted, full of art and projects and stuff. They'd play music or videos sometimes, that was cool

And one elective I took (not mandatory cirriculum) was a Kwakiutl course for basic Kwakwakaʼwakw language. Greetings, counting to a hundred, learning the modified alphabet, animals, etc. Still comes in handy sometimes at large gatherings cause they usually start with a land recognition thanking whoever's land we're on, with a few thanks and welcomes in their language.

And like- when I was in the US it was so weird, cause here we have Totem poles and longhouses and murals all over and yall... don't? Like there is a very distinct lack of Aboriginal art in your public spaces, at least in the areas I've been

My ex-stepfather, who was American, brought his son out once, and he was so excited to "see real indians" and was legitimately shocked to learn that there weren't many teepees to be found on the northwest coast, and was even *more* shocked when we told him that you have Aboriginal people back home too, bud. Your Aboriginal people are also named "Mike" snd "Vicky" and work as assistant manager at best buy.

If you'd ask me, I'd say that the primary difference is that USAmerica (from what I've seen, and ALSO in entirely too much of Canada) treats our European and Aboriginal conflicts as history, something that's tragic but over, like the extinction of the mammoths, instead of like. An ongoing thing involving people who are alive and numerous and right fucking here

But at the end of the day, I'm white, and there are plenty of actual Aboriginal people who are speaking out and saying much more meaningful things than I can

So I'm just gonna pass on a quote from my Stepmum, who's Cree, that's stuck with me since she said it:

"You see how they treat Mexicans in America? That's how they treat us here. Indians are the Mexicans of Canada."

[max1461]

I am, as usual, a counter-example to everyone's claims about higher education on all sides of the discourse, because I have a really weird academic history.

In summary: I was identified as a gifted kid at ~5 years old. Parents didn't act on that information because they didn't think accelerated classes would be good for me. Enrolled me in what I affectionately call a "hippy school", which I attended from 1st grade all the way through 12th grade. Before high school our work wasn't even graded, and homework was optional. The first time I ever had a piece of work graded I was 15 years old, in 9th grade, and it was terrifying. I don't remember what I got. Even in high school things were still incredibly chill and flexible, and grading was lenient. The first standardized test I ever took was the SAT.

As a kid, I had a hard time learning to read. I probably have undiagnosed dyslexia. Also, because my education was so flexible, the fact that I preferred to do other things over reading meant I got more practice at those other things, probably creating a bit of a vicious cycle. I liked math, and was good at it. When I got to high school, there were not enough math classes for me—this was more a consequence of the school being small than it being a hippy school. Nothing was offered above Calc 1. So I started studying math on my own. Actually I started studying math on my own before even taking Calc 1, because I didn't want to wait. I learned about complex numbers and some other stuff from YouTube lectures, but things really took off when I found out about proof-based math and started working through a copy of Herstein's Topics in Algebra in the summer before my junior year. I learned about groups, rings, fields and whatnot, how to write proofs, etc. I loved it and decided to major in math when I got to college.

I still couldn't read regular books at a rate much faster than a couple pages an hour, and I cheated on or blew off all my English assignments. I remain remorseless and regretless about this.

Around this same time I also discovered conlanging, and through that, linguistics. Somehow I started reading linguistics papers when I could find PDFs of them; I still don't really remember how this happened, in an episodic or theoretical sense. Like, I pretty much could not read, right? But I was reading linguistics papers? I think that I was skimming them + looking at the tables + way more interested in them than in books, so I was happy to spend a few hours on them. Plus papers are shorter than books. One way or another I learned a lot of linguistics, and decided I was going to major in linguistics when I got to college.

I was also struggling with some pretty bad mental health issues in my high school years, so a lot of it went by in a blur that I struggle to remember the details of.

I took the SAT three times, over the course of like a month? Or, I think the first two times were practice tests, administered in a realistic environment because I was taking an SAT prep class. I didn't pay much attention in that class, but getting used to the testing environment was kind of wild, because as mentioned, I'd never taken a test before. The first time I took the SAT, I scored dead average. The second time was ~200 points better (this is when the test was scored out of 2400), and the final time I took it I scored... 2100 or 2200? Something in there. I just remember that I got a perfect score on the reading comprehension section. I was a faster reader at that point, but more importantly the passages on the SAT were all short, so I had time to read them. And I guess my comprehension was good.

Other than the really bad mental illness, which had little to do with school itself, I enjoyed my high school years a lot and am glad I went to a hippy school. I think it was directly beneficial to my intellectual development to get to fuck around and place my intellectual energies where I wanted to place them, and I think it was good for my social development to get to blow off responsibilities with relative impunity as a 16 year old. I don't think I would have learned higher math if I had become accustomed to learning things in a spoon-fed way from an established curriculum.

Anyway, after all that, I got into a semi-elite college. I won't say much more so that I can't be doxxed. I had a plan to double major in math and linguistics, which I did. I was actually, before going, completely terrified of having real responsibilities for the first time, of actually having to go to class, actually having to do the homework, as the professor set it out, and not being able to just sort of talk my around the parts I didn't want to do. I had never had that experience before!

Miraculously, it went perfectly fine. I had basically no trouble adjusting to this new way of life, and ended up doing very well in college. I took a lot of hard math classes, and did well in all of them, and found that I greatly enjoyed the fast-paced, lots-of-work-and-lots-of-deadlines life (completely contrary to everything I had experienced up to that point). For this and other reasons, I enjoyed college even more than high school, and had a very good time there.

Uh. But yeah I still pretty much couldn't read, like, in the way other people read. I mostly still can't. In 2020 when I timed myself I was reading at 10 pages an hour but that pace was fucking painful, like it took all my concentration and exhausted me. Books my fucking nemesis. Also got a perfect score on the GRE reading comprehension section though.

[dchuntress]

ooohlalalalala i LOVE thinking about miss bertinelli so much... here are my personal thoughts on how she'd be like at various levels of teaching...

preschool: art and crafts teacher!!! she'd be so fun and zesty and always covered in colours because she encourages her kiddos to have fun! she encourages them to surpass their limitations and be wild and creative, while also subtly teaching them valuable skills and lessons. i like to imagine she wears suspenders and sneakers a lot.

primary/elementary school: at this level of teaching, i wanna say she teaches history and inspires many of her students to understand the value of learning about history and taking lessons from our collective past so we do not repeat the worst — as well as understand the contributions of those preceding us as well an understanding of the human mind. she sticks to the books but she very much does not approve of when facts are omitted, swept under the rug, or sugarcoated so she, keeping her kiddos' ages in mind, tries to give them a broader picture of what really went on. every day before class, she writes a "fun historical fact of the day" on the board and doodles a relevant drawing next to it.

middle school: english, maybe classical literature specifically because i would love to see her and her kiddos having frank and open discussions on the texts they read together and what lessons they can take from that — what to follow as well as what to avoid — and apply it to their own lives. she encourages her kids to really think for themselves and be frank in their essays instead of just parroting the "right" opinion, she is pretty lax about assignments so long as their papers aren't just like copy pastes of sparknotes or ai generated 💔 i can also see her being asked to moderate the school's debate club too.

highschool: physics. this is mostly because physics is often involved a lot in superheroics (shooting crossbows and guns, flying or gliding with grappling hooks, ballistics and projectile motion, principles of momentum, leverage, force distribution, etc) and i kinda liked it when peter parker used his geometrical knowledge to pull off a stunt in that film, so i kinda want that effect here + i feel like if helena taught physics or maths or other sciences, her students very much would have a less worse time because she is so patient and caring and would try her effort best to kill any of the maths anxiety or whatever misconceptions science students grew up with. she likes doing a lot of practical demonstrations in class to clarify concepts as well as to build up memories and to show practical application, plus she often stays behind late after class because she's happy to explain to one student the same one concept they're stuck on 50 times if it means they can finally get it and move on. she also talks to her students a lot about real world stuff too, like their post-graduation plans or the state and affairs of gotham and so on.

university professor: first things first, she wears blazers very regularly as a professor and i love it so much i love women... now, i think it'd be an au pretty much if i were to consider her a university professor, but i can see it happening if, say, she ever decides to move to metropolis and advance her career or studies. she'll always be primarily a school teacher to me so i haven't thought much about this one, but the courses she could teach are endless and all so fascinating to me... cultural studies... anthropology... sociology... environmental studies... linguistics... english or history... women's studies... education and pedagogy... film studies... music and performing arts... yeahhhhhh

[sixty-silver-wishes]

ranking every hyperfixation I can remember having

Fish: Since I was two years old up until like, middle school, I was obsessed with fish and sea life in general. I wanted to be a marine biologist for years. I still cry when I go to aquariums because seeing all the kids watching the fish reminds me of myself at that age. 8/10. Basic hyperfixation, but fish are still pretty cool

The American Flag: For some reason, I remember having an American flag phase in preschool. Not even having to do with America or American history or some other reason; I just thought the flag itself went hard. I can't tell you why. 2/10 because my patriotism levels are at an all time low as of now

Spin the Globe: Spin the Globe was the animated host of National Geographic's "Really Wild Animals," a series of wildlife documentaries for children. For some reason, I latched onto this guy HARD when I was in kindergarten.

I watched the ocean one every day, to the point where I memorized it and spent the whole class day writing down the script from memory (I don't understand how I didn't get my ADHD diagnosis until I was an adult). I rewatched the ocean documentary last year for some nostalgia, and I found out that Spin was REALLY FUCKING ANNOYING. I don't know what 5 year old me was thinking. 1/10.

The Wonder Pets: This was my favorite show when I was in, like, first grade. Unfortunately, that's right about the age where kids think it's cool to joke about brutally murdering children's show characters to prove how mature they are, so really liking a children's show was social suicide. The animation in Wonder Pets did slap tho. 4/10

Power Lab VBS Bible Buddies: Like I said, my hyperfixations were weird as a kid. I was raised Baptist Christian, and every year, my church held a VBS (Vacation Bible School), which for those who don't know, is basically a five-day Christian summer camp. Each day, they would hand out these figurines called "Bible Buddies," which each were supposed to represent a different lesson about the Bible. One year (I think I was in second grade?) the theme was "Power Lab," which had a science laboratory theme. These were the "Buddies" for that year:

I used to play with the figurines of these guys all the time. I can't tell you why, but I thought they were so cool. I also think I was enamored with the lightning bolt lady for some reason? Anyway I'm giving these guys a 4/10. Low score for lameness, but points for originality.

Word Girl: I was raised with PBS as a kid because I didn't have cable until maybe second grade, and I LOVED Word Girl. And I majored in English, so I think that explains a lot. The humor of that show still holds up, and I was so happy to see it made a comeback with fans last year. 8/10; would watch Word Girl again

The Future is Wild: When we finally got cable, my sister and I watched a lot of Discovery Kids. Our favorite show was The Future is Wild, which was a sort of speculative evolution sci-fi for children. These characters would go on adventures in the future and learn things about the animals that lived in environments that had been altered due to global events, and I really liked all the creatures, especially the "Ocean Phantom." Also looking back I think I may have had a crush on CG? Her annoying-ass voice and drama trying to balance working for her father vs. being loyal to her friends had me in a chokehold

6/10. Batshit insane show (I mean. it is in the title), but we love women in STEM

A Series of Unfortunate Events: This is the mother of all my more recent hyperfixations. Something was set in motion here that could not be reversed. 10/10 hyperfixation. this book series made me who I am

Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Along with Unfortunate Events, I was also into the ridiculously violent middle-grade animal xenofiction series in elementary school. I loved these books, and I was so disappointed when the movie came out because of all the ways it diverged from the plot. 8/10 for antifascism and owls, but points docked off because I could never get far in the DS game

Pokemon: So, my mom was pretty sheltering when I was really little, so there was no Pokemon or Harry Potter in the house until I was in 4th grade and she loosened up some. I'd wanted to get into Pokemon for a long time because everyone brought the cards to recess, and one of my friends gave me a holographic Mew card that she said was "really special." My mom threw it away, along with the rest of the cards my friend gave me, because she didn't like the words "psychic" or "evolution" on there lol. But once I was allowed to play my first Pokemon game (Heartgold), I got really into it. If my old Deviantart can be found somewhere in the dark, dark corners of the internet, it was filled with awful Pokemon MS paint drawings. Sometimes I still think about them. 7/10, because I still like Pokemon a lot, but docking points off because my Pokemon hyperfixation introduced me to the more unsavory parts of the internet at a young age.

Harry Potter: This one goes hand-in-hand with the Pokemon thing. Because Harry Potter was forbidden fruit in my household until my mom eventually decided it wasn't that bad, I got really into it when I was a kid. It was less about Harry Potter itself, but more about the fact that I could finally experience something that everyone else had been enjoying for so long. Obviously now that JK Rowling is, well, JK Rowling, I've distanced myself from Harry Potter, and have begun to think about it more critically, but just like everyone else that used to be into it, it did give me some fond memories. 1/10, with the 1 point going solely to Neil Cicierega.

My Little Pony: Got into it in fifth grade and watched it up until freshman year of high school. Not a lot to say about it to be honest; I liked some of the fan works well enough, and I don't have any strong feelings on it now. 5/10

Doctor Who: Oh god; who didn't have a Doctor Who phase in middle school? This was me at my most obnoxious. I constantly wore my 10th Doctor "Allons-y" shirt everywhere I could, and even insisted on wearing 3D glasses at times (I still have them). I quoted the damn show in every conversation (I used to be able to recite the "wibbly wobbly timey wimey" monologue word for word). I'm just glad I didn't get the Hot Topic TARDIS dress that I wanted for so long. I keep finding Doctor Who merch in my room, long after I thought I'd cleared it all out. To be clear, I don't hate Doctor Who, but it just brings up a lot of memories of the annoying kid I used to be in the past. 6.5/10

Celtic Woman: Celtic Woman was the first band I actually got really into. I'd been introduced to their music through Endless Ocean 2, and I would spend hours listening to them and watching their concert videos. Unfortunately, being a middle schooler and listening primarily to Celtic folk music and inspirational songs is not a very good combination, but it is satisfying to see all the people who probably would have bullied me back then dancing to "Teir Abhaile Riu" on TikTok. "Dulaman" was my favorite song, and I was tragically determined to sing it for a good while, despite not knowing any Irish Gaelic. I miss the original band, but their new stuff is all right. 7/10

The Legend of Zelda: More specifically, Skull Kid. My first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, but Majora's Mask was really the peak of my hyperfixation. Skull Kid was easily my favorite character, and I once dressed up as him to school during Spirit Week. I also really liked Fierce Deity Link, and would roleplay both him and Skull Kid on DeviantArt. But the biggest impact my Zelda hyperfixation had on me was kickstarting my love of playing music. I took piano lessons for a short while and started out playing Zelda songs, and I was always listening to video game soundtracks. I switched over to violin later and also took up the ocarina (which I did get pretty serious about for a while. You won't see me playing video game songs anymore, but I still love to play.) 8/10 for the impact, with points taken off because I kept starting games but never finishing them

Lord of the Rings: Got really into Tolkien in high school. My best friend and I bonded over the books, and I also ended up reading the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. I didn't really get into the fandom because I was sort of "outgrowing" fandom culture at this time, but even though it's been a while, I still really like Tolkien. 9/10

The Aztec Empire: Did a report on the Aztec Empire in high school and was really interested it for a while, especially Aztec mythology and sacrificial rituals. 7/10 because I feel like the sacrifice stuff held my attention a lot more than it should have, and I feel like I absorbed a lot of misinformation about it

Medieval Europe: I have an on-and-off Medieval European history phase that comes and goes. Mainly, I'm interested in literature; I read Beowulf and the Canterbury Tales for fun in high school, and I was unfortunately very obnoxious about that. I did study Medieval history and Arthurian legends in college though, so that was neat. 7/10 because saying you're interested in Medieval history sometimes has to come with a disclaimer

Sweeney Todd: My favorite musical, and a big hyperfixation for a while. My best friend played Judge Turpin in high school, and we were both really into "Sweeney" to the point of permanently adopting lines from it into our regular conversations, even today. We even went to see it on Broadway together, which was awesome. 9/10, with one point off because I hate explaining to people why the Tim Burton version Sucks

Classical Music History: Specifically Shostakovich. I like a lot of other composers too, but this was a BIG phase. We're talking three years of research, writing long essays, Russian language and Soviet history classes, working for a Shostakovich journal, learning music, etc. I wasn't even doing this for a career; I just really, really liked Shostakovich a lot in college. I started getting into classical music in high school, but college was when I stopped being an idiot about it. 9/10, with a point taken off because I used to be an idiot about it

Sea Shanties: This falls into my wider love of folk music, but shanties and sea songs got me through college and working a minimum-wage job during the pandemic. 9/10; very fun to sing while in the car with friends

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Currently hyperfixated on classic films, but this one in general. You've seen my blog. 8/10, because it's a great movie with a lot to hyperfixate on, but points off because it's so hard to want to discuss this with people in public.

Tom Waits: Another current one. I listen to at least two full albums every day, usually "The Black Rider" (which could have its own spot on this list). Meeting a fellow Tom Waits fan in public is the best feeling ever, but telling someone that you like Tom Waits to someone who doesn't know who Tom Waits is sometimes means weird results. Like, someone asked me once if he was a new indie musician. I just want to know what they thought his music was like. 10/10 hyperfixation. no notes

Honorable mentions for smaller hyperfixations I've had over the years, in no particular chronological order:

Gila Monsters (9/10)

Klaus Nomi (9/10)

Hamilton (3/10)

Victorian literature (7/10)

Current events (0/10)

Japan's Torii Gate (5/10. I just thought it looked really cool when I was a kid)

Deaths on Mt. Everest (8/10)

The Oceangate disaster (3/10)

Parakeets (7/10)

House of Leaves (10/10)

Encanto (7.5/10)

My best friend (9/10. Great friend but unfortunately I misidentified it as a crush for many years)

My first ex (0/10)

W.I.T.C.H. (4/10)

This thing:

(Its name is Mathra and it's from an educational kids' game called ClueFinders. I pretended it was my friend when I was little and I drew it all the time, then got embarrassed when people asked what I was drawing)

Lord of the Flies (7/10)

Finding Nemo (6/10)

The Russian language (7/10)

Edgar Allan Poe (8/10)

Ivan Ivanovich Sollertinsky (8.5/10)

Nikolai Gogol (8/10)

In conclusion. it's weird to me that I think my most niche and bizarre hyperfixations were from when I was a really little kid lol

[letkirillfight]

15 people 15 questions

thanks for the tag @babygirlspurgeon, @masonshaws, @giveemgreef, and @babygirlboberrey

1. are you named after anyone?

I share my middle name with my mom.

2. when was the last time you cried?

A couple days ago. The last month has been a bit rough.

3. do you have kids?

No and never will.

4. what sports do you play/have you played?

I played soccer when I in like elementary school and then did a season of tennis in like high school. Low-key hated doing both of them. I'm not really one for playing sports unless it's the sort of casual pick up game with friends. I much prefer to watch.

5. do you use sarcasm?

Yes, religiously.

6. what's the first thing you notice about people?

I'm going to be honest I am not self aware enough to know the answer to this one. But probably their outfit if I had to guess.

7. what's your eye color?

I always say gray.

8. scary movies or happy endings?

To my endless annoyance my brain is absolutely the worst while watching scary movies, like the most obviously built up jump scare will still spook me, so happy endings I guess.

9. any talents?

Uh, I'm really good at packing? And I'm pretty good with horses? I don't know, my mind kind of blanked on anything I have ever been good at when I read this.

10. where were you born?

Michigan

11. what are your hobbies?

I am a huge nerd and also a grandmother (this is not a slight towards grandmothers). I love watching movies and binging tv shows and have an extensive dvd collection because they will tear physical media from my cold dead hands. I also love playing video games and really want to build my own desktop one of these days towards that end. I will read anything that looks half interesting and have also lost many an hour to writing whatever idea pops into my head. I crochet, can technically knit, and am learning how to spin yarn and sew beyond basic mending. I also play sudoku, solitaire (spider specifically), and do puzzles. Plus like hiking and traveling to occasionally get out of the house. Oh and hockey.

12. do you have any pets?

Nope. I grew up with a wide variety of animals but have yet to get one of my own. Someday I'm considering getting a cat or two but we'll see.

13. how tall are you?

I am 5'5".

14. favorite subject in school?

History, followed closely by English. This probably has just as much to do with my teachers as the actual subject material as those classes were really fun.

15. dream job?

None lol. I dream of financial stability not working. If I had to pick something though it would probably be something physical. I like being able to say "I made that" or something with horses. I loved working with them before. Most realistically though it wouldn't be one thing. I like the idea of being a jack of all trades type and bouncing around learning how to do a bunch of things.

tagging: @wildrangers, @eis-hockey,@kirill-kaprizovs-curls,@cecishockeyblogging, @jonassiegenthighler, @lindholmline, @carpehistoryandthepens, @stanleyoffseventh, @couthbbg, @dwisp, @devils-wild, @thecardiackids, @wehaveagathering, @flaticeball, @oetter if y'all want to do it and haven't already done so. Plus anyone else who sees this and is interested consider yourself tagged.

[valentinsylve]

Thinking about the latest smoke on the horizon concerning what adults like to read and how often that seems to be books for children. I don't really understand it, or perhaps I do.

I went to what I cannot overstate was a weird primary school. The main building was an old renovated farmhouse. The walls of one of the big rooms were lined with books of all kinds, mostly not written for children. I remember grabbing a Dostoevsky novel off the shelf in 5th grade (The Idiot) because I was curious. Did I understand it? I was 10 years old, you tell me. Our English teacher had the 9-11 year-olds reading The Call of The Wild and The Crucible. The 12-year-olds were reading Restoration comedy and The Taming of the Shrew at one point. I was not unusually literate as far as I thought. So, keep that in perspective.

I was also reading at home, mainly my parents' large science fiction collection. I usually chose by whichever title or book cover art looked the most intriguing. My favorites were by Ray Bradbury, and they were fairly accessible to children. Even then there were things I didn't "get", but they were interesting anyway. I was also reading a ton of reference books trying to vacuum up as much knowledge as I could. Regardless of schooling, I just cannot remember not wanting to know everything. I also read trash, needless to say.

I got into what was then YA fiction specifically in 6th and 7th grade, because I wanted to know what was considered teen-specific material. Lots of what was available at the public library was pretty weird or actually dark.

Lighter topics included being new in a school and learning the ways of one's peers, but also things like sneaking out of the house at night and going into the city and meeting weird adults in diners and seeing midnight movies. Darker topics included suicidality and abuse, or being forbidden to see a close friend because of homophobia. Happy endings were rare in those books; valuable lessons were hard-discovered and rarely made things better. My point is that every idea was on the table. I was not protected, and that was completely OK by me, even if I was uncomfortable. I wasn't protected in real life, either. By 9th grade I was done with that stuff and reading Anais Nin, Dylan Thomas, and hard sci-fi.

In my 20s I knew a guy my age who was really into Harry Potter and lent me the first book. He was a smart guy with a history degree, and his other favorites were all about World War II or whatever, so yeah, kid's book for fun, sure. It was... fine? But I was 25 and the adventures of Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair were lots more fun.

Does it have something to do with childhood and what that meant to me? By the time I was 8 I was both quasi-nostalgic for an innocence that never was, and longing to be an adult and done with the entire powerless mess of childhood.

It's not that I was any smarter than any other kid - I was simply curious and loved to read and learn things.

[tumblasha]

a review of the first week of cabo verde

so i've officially landed in the praia, cabo verde, airport seven (7) whole days ago, and i want to share my initial thoughts. this will be long, so here's a numbered list :)

1 . i feel like i'm a kid back in brazil but also a 21 y/o tall kid

so caboverdians speak portuguese (bc it's taught in formal schools) and they also speak kabuverdianu (creole, different across all the islands). being someone that can translate / speak at the store for the person they live with [1], it just feels like i'm a kid with a limited vocab

living in a beach town where everything is at a slower pace and is within walking / bus / taxi distance made me feel happy :) vacation!dasha is alive and well

2 . cabo verde is also a tall kid (but 48 y/o)

this one is sorta very much on me.

so i did the classic American Tourist thing and never actually learned anything about the history of the country i will be traveling to (sorry). since coming here and asking my co-workers and friends-of-misti about the general vibes of this country, i've learned so much! a lot of which Make Sense, a lot of which Confuse Me

older caboverdians tend to see themselves as not-african. i also learned that some ppl in some countries in mainland africa also don't consider themselves african bc of the way that the label "africa" comes with various histories, most of them negative bc of europe. this is why "kriolu" / "creole" are such popular words ! also younger caboverdians acknowledge that they are african / black if that applies to them

race is phenotypical here. which is what i expected (closer to how latam sees race ig?? more like how brasil sees race ig??). what i'm trying to say is that if you introduce yourself as "from the usa", they'll always say "no, where are u Actually from" and won't rest until u say something like "peruvian, chinese, etc." bc a lot of ppl outside of the usa don't believe that the usa has "actual indigenous ppl anymore" [2]. it also means that speaking english in the street invites ppl to ask you ur race

being east asian (chinese) in cabo verde is sorta .. rough. the microaggressions that i've seen in the two (2) days that my chinese-american roommate face is kinda Wild. when the person leading our cultural training said "oh sometimes ppl will call u 'china'" to my friend i thought that it meant that it would replace "ma'am" in the usual "yes, ma'am" / "no, ma'am" conversations with strangers, not that random ppl will yell "china!" multiple times to my friend when we're sitting on the sand. this has ties with macau and the rest of the chinese gov't building universities, casinos, and having a Business Presence in the country. but at least we got tourism industry students to invite us to clubs bc my friend is chinese-american??? [3] it's just really weird to me bc i haven't faced any racial / appearance-based ... acknowledgements ... even tho i clearly look like a foreigner in a sorta-racially-homogenous place (talking abt the mostly black island santiago)

independence day is not really celebrated here : ( ppl have conflicting opinions on the independence of the country. most of the country likes the day (july 5) bc it's a day off from work. other ppl say that it's hard to be a country with growing pains and would rather have portugal's gov't deal with building the infrastructure. other ppl are putting in the work to ease the growing pains. kinda sad since massachusetts, rhode island, and brazil (afaik) have big celebrations (fireworks and everything) rather than just a random ceremony where the president speaks for a bit and everyone goes home

a lot of the night life is european. someone pls teach me how to vibe to edm and house music and general non-lyrical music fjewiaofj but also shoutout to that club with brazilian funk. if only i learned the dance that my são paulo friend taught me </3

3 . the food is sorta fantastic here ngl

yes, i'm behind on the foodposting, and idk if i'll ever catch up lmao

for my lovely friends who eat meat, cachupa / caxupa is one of the loveliest things to eat. it's a meat-based (with veggies!) soup dish ?? it usually has either fish or pork tho. it's the national dish for a reason <33 also the seafood is good. sola-approved!

for my lovely friends who don't eat meat, i found a vegan place like 8 min away from my apt! also bc i'm in a City, it's easy to ask for things to be made vegetarian (plus there's always couscous and salads lol). also veg cachupa exists

for all my lovely friends, the food isn't Too too varied. i feel like the most common foods are pizzas, pastas, burgers, and shwarmas. also chinese foods are translated in an interesting way: noodles are pasta / spaghetti, dumplings are pastels (the empanada-esque brazilian translation), etc. there are also a bunch of brazilian churrascarias and one (1) indian restaurant

also i tried to be Cool and add some hot sauce to one of my pastas and i had to pretend i didn't want to kill myself in front of the Adults on the table

4. kabuverdianu is a cool language

i learned duolingo's haitian creole to get the vibes of a creole language. though this is attached to portuguese instead of french, a lot of the characteristics are the same. the words borrowed from the european language are spelled in a way that makes sense (maybe in a way that makes more sense to spanish-speakers?). i also like how gendered things tend to just be made gender neutral (usually defaulting to the masc way). i can hear it and understand it if spoken to me slowly, but after that ... oof!

5 . marcha do orgulho made me v happy

what if i change my "go to carnaval in every continent" goal to "go to pride in every continent" hehe. i think it was so Good how the pride that had 30 ppl last year exceeded their goal of 100 ppl this year by A Lot. even though there were a lot of ppl from the EU who backed the event (logistically spread the word i think??), the ppl who showed up were mostly black and made it such a fun time :,)

i also met a trans woman who claimed was the only trans woman in her island :,0 [5] she traveled all the way to santiago for pride

6 . overall i'm excited for the summer

i think that i'll spend a lot of my time reading a book by the beach and learning kabuverdianu while telling myself that i can maybe be an immigrant like my parents [4] or at least work abroad for a few years maybe. i'm excited to be an adult. i went to the beach (one on the other side of the island) today, and i just feel refreshed. i got to swim in the water like if it were a pool and hang out with the fish lol

---

[1] my parents as a kid, my roommate as a taller kid (now)

[2] overheard at a bar in barcelona

[3] my roommate will prob talk abt it more since she's doing the indentityX blogposts that misti hosts lol

[4] for those that don't know, there's at least a two-gen moving maternal history in my family line. my grandma moved across the country after high school. my mom moved across the continent after college. i wanna Continue that somehow bc i feel like it'd be cute

[5] lots of gays and lesbians, according to her, but being trans is a whole different thing there

[expired-bat]

6 and 24 for all of Rabies

6. What were they like at school? Did they enjoy it? Did they finish? What level of higher education did they reach? What subjects did they enjoy? Which did they hate?

Meilin: She and Lucille were homeschooled, so they never got to experience public or private school life. She didn't really enjoy it much, since there were so many distractions. She doesn't like any subject, but she excels in math.

Chris: He was the usual outcasted weirdo, keeping to himself and thinking that the cool kids were his friends (when really, they just made fun of him). Chris didn't like the learning aspect, but did enjoy the social aspect of it. But because of his illness, it prevented him from going beyond. He dropped out in his early sophomore year after being kicked out. His favorite subject was art, but he hates biology the most.

Jayu: In a North Korean school, every student is expected to excel in everything. Jayu was the best in his district and often sought out for performances. Unfortunately, he was unable to finish school because he and his family got arrested and sent to a camp. His favorite subject was music. He says he doesn't have a class he dislikes, but dealing with computers was a challenge for him.

Ryan: Being a menace follows him everywhere. Dude was so bad that he was kicked out of three schools before the end of his freshman year of high school. Surprisingly, he managed to graduate in time (with a solid 2.0!) Fujio does wish that his son did better on his education. His favorite subject was English and he absolutely hated any and all math classes.

Tony: As a kid, he enjoyed going to school (not for learning, just to play with his friends). But as he grew, he started to see how shitty the school system is and did the bare minimum. He drops out after his sophomore year after being kicked out. He liked P.E. and detested everything else.

June: They have a tiger mom, a multi-millionaire dad, and is expected to inherit a company; what do you think their education is like? June has the most privileged upbringing in the group, even with education. they've spent their entire lives being at private schools, graduating the top of their class and going to college at Colombia University (Richard bribed the school cough)

Eddie: He grew up in a reservation and spent his years going to school there. Eddie did alright there, having a few friends and learning as much as he can. He did had to miss a few days because of housing conditions, he has to take care of his grandparents as they age, and his growing alcohol addiction. His favorite subject was band/music and he dislikes history.

24. What is their sleeping pattern like? Do they snore? What do they like to sleep on? A soft or hard mattress?

Meilin: I'd say Meimei has a normal sleep schedule... If your normal is going to bed at 4 AM and waking up at noon. But hey, she got her recommended 8 hours. She does have her night terrors from time to time and it's terrifying to hear her scream for someone to stop. Mei is not a snorer and will blow anyone with her mind if she hears them snoring. She likes to sleep on her bed, a queen-sized circular soft mattress covered in hot pink and black covers, silky pillows, and various Hello Kitty plushies. She'll sleep a bit longer after a night of partying.

Chris: Does anyone see this dude sleeping?? Honestly, he's a wild card when it comes to sleep. He's either awake for three days or he's sleeping for 16 hours. He's a champion for heavy sleepers and he moves a lot. If his nose is a bit stuffy, he'll snore a little bit. Chris sleeps on anything that's flat or comfy; he'll sleep on the floor, on a table, on the edge of a couch, leaning on a door, etc.

Jayu: He has the sleep schedule of a regular jack-off; goes to bed at 8 PM (if possible) and wakes up at 5 AM. He sleeps like the dead; no sounds and no movements, but is easy to wake up just by coughing. He likes to sleep in a comfortable bed, but with a firm mattress. Soft mattresses give ache his muscles.

Ryan: He'll sleep whenever he wants, but gets less than 7 hours of sleep. He does snore, but they're quiet. He moves a bit and sometimes will say something while snoozing, mostly they're just "huh?" or "fuck." Ryan likes to sleep on soft mattresses, as he and his evening friend likes to be comfortable.

Tony: Same with Ryan for sleeping habits, though he does have a job. When I tell you that Tony snores, he SNORES. He's gotten used sleeping on hard surfaces, so ofc he has a hard mattress. He's also fine with sleeping on couches and chairs, though he does have to get used with how small they are.

June: Because they have free will now, June gets to sleep at whatever time they want, though they are a hardcore insomniac. Their usual schedule lasts for 4-5 hours, with some waking hours. They're not a snorer and they are a light sleeper. They like soft mattrasses, but it still doesn't help them to fall asleep. Maybe a melatonin gummy or two... or three.

Eddie: Another guy who sleeps like a jack-off, this time going to bed at 10 PM to 6 AM. He does snore, but it's not obnoxiously loud. He won't admit it, but he does hug his pillow at times. He likes to sleep on comfortable surfaces, like his bed or a couch. He has slept on rougher surfaces before.

[cyn-write]

Grace Wilde

Grace is my Yuusona! I drew her and did some editing to get her onto a template. I am still learning to draw so any pointers would be much appreciated. Now, without further ado: Grace Wilde!!

Background: Prior to NRC, Grace was a college student at a small university in the middle of nowhere. She is the oldest sibling of 5 kids and came from a big, close nit family. She was really close with her mom and grandma as all three loved to read. She was always an over-achieving student and her 4.0 helped her get a ton of scholarships from her University. Grace is an English-History Double major and wants to become a professor one day. All of this changed when she was hit by a car heading back to her dorm one day in an attempt to save some freshman girls from getting hit. Much like Yuuta and Yuukun in the manga, Grace died and the black carriage took her to NRC.

Time at NRC: Once the whole opening debacle and the Grim situation are figured out, Grace is hit with the reality that she died, she was sent to another world, and she has no way home. Initially, it was rough, but thankfully, all the strange events have kept her from mulling over all those traumatic events. Other than overblots, troublesome classmates, her dilapidated dorm, and a very hungry talking cat, she's fine. She actually really enjoys school and the challenges of being in a magic school with no magic. A few of the things that have kept her going are Ace, Deuce, Riddle, her friends, and Azul.

After the Octanvale overblot, Grace and Azul started to connect as she told him: "I know what it's like to be bullied over your looks, so if you want to talk about it, just let me know. We can talk, or I can listen. Kids can be awful, but I am here for you... by the way, I think you were a pretty cute kid." Ever since then, Azul's heart grew three sizes for the magicless girl. Over the break, the two grew closer and by the end of the "Scarbia incident" Grace agreed to work at the Lounge (partly because she needed money and partly to be closer to Azul) and Azul worked up the courage (through relentless tweel bullying) to ask Grace out. She helps him deal with his insecurities and he helps her deal with the fact she can never go home. But both had know this is a temporary partnership that both need at the moment and treat their relationship more as a partnership than a relationship for now.

Once Thatch School for Delinquent Mages joins Ramshackle, Crowley tasks Cyn and Grace to not only run Crowley-chores but watch over the delinquent students and help them fit in. Now with a houseful of problems and more overblots occurring, things in Grace's life are chaotic, and busy, but fun and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Trivia:

Much like Wendy is the "Mother" to the Lost Boys in "Peter Pan," Grace is often referred to as the "Mom" or "Mother" of the first years in NRC. She is a year older than most of the first years and being an older sister in her old life, her mama instincts often take over when dealing with the first years + her friends (I see NRC as a COLLEGE, so I have aged up the characters for my au).

Since she is the "Mother" friend, she, Trey, Ruggie, Jamil, and Lilia, have a "parent-friend support chat" where they complain and can ask for help if someone's in trouble

Ace, Deuce, and Grim are VERY overprotective of Grace. They see her as their sister, and no one is good enough for her.

That being said when Azul and Grace started dating, the trio tried (and failed) to stalk them on their dates, but each time the Leeches show up and boot them out per Azul's orders.

Grace and Cynthia are very close. They bonded over their old lives and adapting to NRC. Between splitting the Crowley Chores and Grim-sitting, they have grown a very special bond.

Grace mainly deals with the overblots, but she asks Cyn for help with Leona, Azul, and Idia before Cyn herself overblots.

The reason Grace joined the Equestrian Club was beacuse of Riddle. He agreed to join her book club as a way of taking a break if Grace agreed to join the Equestrian Club.

Riddle regards Grace as an Honerary member of Heartsyble after the first overblot. The relationship the two have is odd as they are close as family. Riddle tutors Grace to aid her in the knowledge that she was missing from not growing up in Twisted Wonderland. In return, Grace helps Riddle in "temper relocation" as they would write, paint, or read poetry, books, or plays aloud that Grace picked out.

Riddle, Grace, Deuce, and Carter are the first members of the NRC Book Club. Grace is a Book Nerd and reading is her comfort in the craziness of NRC. Riddle joined because of the deal with Grace. Deuce thinks reading more will help him with his grades. And Cater joined to keep up with Book trends on Social Media (for the aesthetic). After some time, Azul, Jade, Silver, Rook, and Malleus also join. They read a variety of books from Rom-coms (Carter's suggestion) to Classics (Riddle's Suggestion) and Grace loves the exposure to literature.

After the Thatch students join Ramshackle, Grace's mom-stincs skyrocket as she tries to make sure they stay out of trouble (as Cyn seems to encourage the mayhem) and help them adapt to regular college life again.

Grace and Trein have a special bond. After the first few classes, Grace actually goes up to Trein to talk about History because she thinks it's fascinating. Actually having a student who engages in class, does the reading, and wants to learn more is rare in his classes so Trein appreciates it when she comes up to talk. Grace also reminds Trein of his stepson Ellain who attends RSA (despite his protest of wanting to be with his dad).

Trein steps in as Grace's Father Figure when parents are needed or present for events. During the family days when all her friends are off with their families, Trein offers to walk around with her and have tea while they discuss a range of things from history to her past.

Grace talks in her sleep and when Cyn, Grace, and Grim were stay with Leona in book 3, Cyn wakes up all three of them as she called out "WATCH OUT!" in her sleep.

For more on Grace Wilde, follow and keep an eye out for short Fics and doodles! Cynthia Widow, who is mentioned throughout the bio, is the "second yuu" who is a twist of the Oogy Boogy Man. Please like, reblog, and ask questions!

[khangthecinephile]

Book & movie analysis: Persepolis

For a very long time, Muslim people and Muslim country's image have been depicted by the Western media in a very negative way. This results in the majority of people living outside Muslim countries having misunderstandings and misconceptions of Muslim people, especially their gender roles. Which is exactly why Marjane Satrapi, an Iranian author wrote her famous graphic novels Persepolis, released in 2000 and 2004. These two books are autobiographies of Marjane’s own life, portraying her life living through the Islamic Revolution and many other wars during that time period. Persepolis explores the damages and the traumas that wars do to people and also the gender stereotypes in Islamic countries.

In Islamic countries, where there’s a big percentage of illiterate people, religions are some of the most important things of Islamic people’s life. And one of the most visible symbols of religion in these countries is the veils, the scarfs of a piece of fabric that women use to cover their hair. The veil was created to remain “moral boundaries” among the two genders and the women who wear veils would be considered “respectable women” according to the Quran (Stacey, “Why Muslim Women Wear The Veil,” ISLAM RELIGION). Although there are a lot Muslim women that like wearing their hijab as a way to honor their religion, there are also women like Marjane who’s against the veils. Marjane Satrapi intentionally put “The Veil” as the first story of her book to show her negative opinion towards this piece of clothing. In this story, Marjane was just a little kid and doesn’t really understand why she and her girlfriends have to wear the veil (Satrapi 3). But this attitude of hers continuously appears throughout the two books, even when she’s a grown woman. Muslim women, as oppressed as they already are by their culture and religion, were even more oppressed by laws to always wear the veil (Knipp, “Why Iranian authorities enforce veil wearing,” DW). It’s not simply just a piece of clothing, it is used by the governments to repress Muslim women, to limit their rights to be what they want to be. Instead of just staying quiet and living with the situation, many women like Marjane had spoken up and demonstrated for their own rights as women, despite their image of being controlled by men and having no voice in the society. This corruption of gender images and stereotypes will happen many more times in the books through both female and male characters, which I would explain further in the next parts of this essay. 

Like I mentioned before, Islamic countries have lots of people that do not receive any form of education. Especially women, when some Islamic countries don’t allow women to go to school (Brown, “The Taliban are taking away women’s right to learn. The world can’t afford to stay silent,” THE GUARDIAN). Even in the countries that do allow women to go to school, there would be gender segregated schools, and most of the time, the boys would receive a much better education and study in better conditions. For this reason, westerners assume that Muslim women are uneducated and can’t acknowledge the oppressions of their own countries. If we compare this stereotype to Marjane and her friends, there would be some serious misconceptions. Marjane and her family really value education. Marjane herself doesn’t just go to a normal school, she even gets the opportunity to attend a French school in Tehran which enables her to be fluent in multiple languages like French or English. Beside schools, Marjane also receives an education from her parents when her father always talks about their country's political situation and history. They also let Marjane be exposed with both Western and local literature and culture. Marjane as a kid liked punk music and listened to Kim Wilde (Satrapi 126). She even read books by Karl Marx and other Western authors (Satrapi 12). While still maintaining her patriotism and her interest in religion, Marjane onced wants to be a prophet (Satrapi 6). We can’t deny the fact that Marjane has many privileges compared to other Iranian girls but if we take a look at her mom, she’s also very well educated and often expresses her own opinions in certain political discussions between Marjane, her and her husband. Obviously, education doesn't just come from school or books, Marjane was also educated through her real life experience with war, bombs and through the sacrifices of her loved ones. Her grandmother always reminded her of her grandfather and how she has to take these sacrifices seriously and never forget who she is and where she comes from. (Satrapi 291). 

If some Westerners think that some Muslim women aren't allowed to go to schools because their religion says that women should be obedient to their husbands and stay at home, they’re completely wrong. Muslim’s religion and philosophy are different from Western’s religion and philosophy but they aren’t as extreme as people think. The Quran has always commanded and encouraged all Muslims including both male and female to pursue and acquire knowledge (Lodi, “Islam doesn’t deny women education, so why does the Taliban,” VOGUE ARABIA). Marji admitted that she’s a very religious person as a child but she has always been a curious person and educated herself all the time. The reason that she gave up her religion also didn’t have anything to do with it limiting her from becoming a more intellectual person, there’s just a lot of bad events that occurred to her at the time leading to her making that decision. Just through a few details of her character, Marjane has succeeded in changing the way people view Muslim women and has completely broken the rigid stereotype of Muslim women being uneducated.  

Besides being uneducated, the Western Media had depicted Muslim women’s overall picture as being traditionally feminine, weak, and submissive to men (Jaffer, “Are Muslim women really traditionally submissive,” THE TELEGRAPH). Many of them got abused and violently beaten by their husbands (Stacey, “Does Islam Oppress Women,” ISLAM RELIGION).  Or simply, they don’t have a voice in their own household and get controlled by their spouse. However this is not the case in Persepolis, Marjane in the story is a very independent woman, she had left the country when she was very young and is totally capable of taking care of herself. Not only that, Marjane always speaks her own opinion and isn’t afraid of the consequences, even at the time when she’s still in Iran, where people don't take women’s opinion very seriously. One of the most important elements that has created a strong and independent Marjane is the people surrounding her, the role models in her own family, specifically her mom and her grandmother. Marjane’s grandmother and mom both have very advanced mindsets for people of their time. Typically, when a girl reaches a certain age, Muslim parents or Asian parents in general would like their daughter to get married and settle down with a good enough man (Beglin, “Why do Tiger parents want their kids to marry young,” PSYCHOLOGY TODAY). But Marjane’s mom wants the opposite, on the night of Marjane’s wedding, she caught her mother crying in the bathroom. Marjane’s mother said: “I have always wanted for you to become independent, educated, cultured …And here you are getting married at twenty-one. I want you to leave Iran, for you to be free and emancipated …” (Satrapi 317). These words don’t just show the love she has for her daughter but also shows that she’s a modern woman and doesn’t want marriage to define her daughter. Taji’s worried that Marjane will end up like other Iranian women at the time who've got oppressed by their husband and got their freedom taken away. Marjane’s mom didn’t just break the stereotype of Muslim women, she has also broken the notion of Asian parents who are strict and want control of their children’s life. Same with Marjane’s grandmother, she’s also a woman that’s ahead of her time. Long before Marjane’s generation, the prejudices and contempt for women was also tremendous. But Marjane’s grandmother has made a decision that’s considered revolutionary, which is getting divorce. Like how she said, at the time, nobody ended their marriage (Satrapi 333). So this story of Marjane’s grandma had taught Marjane to stand up and make decisions for her own benefits, and it is totally normal to divorce her husband as long as she thinks that it’s the best thing for herself. Grandma has also taught Marjane that getting a divorce is a right of any Muslim woman and not supposed to depend on the men. 

In Persepolis, not just a lot of women’s stereotypes get broken but the reader can easily see some very positive male figures throughout Marjane’s life. One of them is obviously Marjane’s father Ebi. From the beginning of the book when Marjane was a child, her father has always been supportive of her and respects every decision she makes. He has also always been honest and open with her about the country's situation. Ebi doesn’t mind explaining things like history or politics to her daughter (Satrapi 19). He’s caring and patient with Marjane and sometimes even treats her as an adult. Him and his wife always want the best for their daughter, they are even willing to let Marjane go to another country just for her to be developed in a more healthy environment (Satrapi 147). Those characters are what differentiates him from the abusive and violent image of Muslim men. Unlike how Westerners portray men in Islam countries, Ebi is the complete opposite of the absent father figure or an oppressive husband (Naderi, “Non-threatening Muslim Men: Stigma management and religious observance in America,” Springer Link). Even in his relationship with his wife, he has always been respectful and listening. He sympathizes with his wife's sadness and maintains the equality of their marriage. Taji on the other hand, still completes her role as a wife and a mother but sometimes, she even has dominance over her husband.

Another man that had immensely influenced Marjane’s life is her uncle Anoosh. Like Ebi, Anoosh is very patient with Marjane and answers every single one of Marjane’s questions. Just after a short period of time, the two have become very close and connected (Satrapi 55). For Marjane, Anoosh is a hero, he gave his life to his idea and went through many struggles before meeting Marjane. On the last time they met each other, Anoosh gave Marjane the second bread swan which makes a pair of bread swans that symbolizes their relationship (Satrapi 69). The bread swans don’t just represent the love Anoosh has for Marjane but the fact that they were made from bread in the prison represent the trauma and suffering that Anoosh has experienced (Goldman, “Persepolis symbols: Bread Swan,” LITCHARTS).  Overall, he’s another figure that has changed the way people see Muslim men after reading Persepolis. 

Through the five main characters of the book including Marjane Satrapi herself, people can acknowledge how different a local and a citizen in an Islamic country like Marjane and the Western media views Muslim women and men. Persepolis had really given readers an unique experience and a wider insight of Iranians life. Not all Muslim women are illiterate and incapable of saving themselves and not all Muslim men are fanatics and terrorists who oppress and abuse their women. Most of them are just normal humans that have gone through a lot more wars and suffering.

Brown, Gordon. “The Taliban are taking away women’s right to learn. The world can’t afford to stay silent.” THE GUARDIAN, 22 December 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/22/taliban-women-right-to-learn-afghanistan-muslim-nations. Accessed 26 June 2023.

Beglin, Cynthia Kim. “Why do Tiger parents want their kids to marry young?” PSYCHOLOGY TODAY, 10 January 2018, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culture-shocked/201801/why-do-tiger-parents-want-their-kids-marry-young. Accessed 26 June 2023. 

Goldman, Ben. “Persepolis symbols: Bread Swan.” LITCHARTS, 26 August 2015, https://www.litcharts.com/lit/persepolis/symbols/bread-swan. Accessed 26 June 2023.

Jaffer, Nabeela. “Are Muslim women really traditionally submissive?” THE TELEGRAPH, 1 March 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/muslim-women-really-traditionally-submissive/. Accessed 26 June 2023.

Knipp, Kersten. “Why Iranian authorities enforce veil wearing?” DW, 21 December 2020, https://www.dw.com/en/why-iranian-authorities-force-women-to-wear-a-veil/a-56014027. Accessed 26 June 2023.

Lodi, Hafsa. “Islam doesn’t deny women education, so why does the Taliban.” VOGUE ARABIA, 26 September 2021, https://en.vogue.me/culture/afghanistan-taliban-women-school-ban/. Accessed 26 June 2023. 

Naderi, Pooya S. D. “Non-threatening Muslim Men: Stigma management and religious observance in America.” SPRINGER LINK, 27 January 2018, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11133-018-9372-4. Accessed 26 June 2023. 

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. Pantheon Books, 2000.

Stacey, Aisha. “Does Islam Oppress Women.” ISLAM RELIGION, 18 January 2010, https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/3344/does-islam-oppress-women/. Accessed 26 June 2023. 

Stacey, Aisha. “Why Muslim Women Wear The Veil.” ISLAM RELIGION, 28 September 2009, https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2770/why-muslim-women-wear-veil/. Accessed 26 June 2023. 

[infiniteglitterfall]

Big question for everyone, especially in the U.S.: how did you choose a college?

Obviously, there will be people who had to choose not to go to college. Or not to go yet. Or aren't old enough.

(And it's going to be a very different question for people in countries where college is free, or, conversely, where most people don't go to college.)

If you haven't been able to go to college, I would really love to know what stopped you. Like: are you taking community college classes while you work, and hoping to transfer someday? Do you have parents, siblings, or kids you need to take care of? Do you feel like the cost of student loans would burden you forever? Is there something you wish you could have studied, or could someday study? Do you feel like it's pointless because you can learn what you need on your own?

There are just so many stories out there!

If you did go to college, or looked at schools before putting it off for later/choosing not to, or are looking at colleges - or grad schools - now....

What do you like to look at?

For instance: I don't think I ever talked to a guidance counselor. But I remember going to their office after school, and just sitting there pulling giant books of college info off the shelves. And then going through different course catalogs.

Pretty quickly, I noticed that some schools had HUGE majorities of white students, and started skimming for ones that had better demographics. I also figured out early on that I wanted to go to a women's college. Beyond that, it was mostly about location for me.

But I really, really enjoyed looking at the wild courses you could take at some of these colleges. It blew my mind to imagine taking classes called "Transnational Sexualities," or "Trauma and the Arts," or "Nicki Minaj: The Black Barbie Femmecee & Hip Hop Feminisms," instead of just "World History" and "Calculus AB."

(Disclaimer: the Nicki Minaj class is real, but it's from modern-day UC Berkeley, way after I went to school.)

I didn't want to go to grad school at the time. I majored in American Studies, which was the equivalent of what most schools call Liberal Arts or Liberal Studies I think. It was a catch-all major that I mostly used to learn about ethnic studies and social change.

(I should have been an English major, tbh. Or Journalism. Something that would have taught me how to get published. Although to be fair, I'm not sure that my school's English program did that.)

I had to deal with years of adults going, "You're majoring in what? What are you going to do with THAT?" Idk, bro, routinely self-sabotage by working in nonprofits and taking jobs that wouldn't pay me enough? Same thing I would've done otherwise, it's not vocational school, get outta my face.

I'm curious about this in general. Plus I used to work in college admissions (I tracked everything every prospective student sent to us), so it's interesting to me for that reason as well.

But mostly, I'm curious because the school I went to got sucked into Northeastern University's gaping maw a few years ago, basically shut down. I am hell-bent on rebuilding it.

And if I'm going to rebuild a school, I should probably learn more about what people are looking for, or not, in their undergrad and grad schools.

Bonus question for Americans: given how many places have *Don't Say Gay" laws for their high schools, and how hard the government is coming for trans youth in general, do you feel like there's a need for, say, an online high school program for people who are marginalized around gender? Maybe one that's connected to a college for marginalized genders and lets you take college classes?

Please put your words in the comments, tags, or reblogs ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[thatsastepladder]

Do you ever think about the Xavier Institute is really, really bad at being a school? Besides the original five X-Men, who graduated, and all of whom except Cyclops have at least some college experience, the Xavier Institute graduation rate is almost 0.

Kitty Pryde? Got critically injured by the Marauders and finished (?) her schooling in England.

The New Mutants? All either dead, de-aged into a young child, taken away by Empath, or drafted into Cable's paramilitary squad.

Generation X? I haven't read that far, but I don't think they graduated?

The Morrison-era students? Decimated, depowered ones killed via Purifiers, the rest drafted as child soldiers in survival scenario.

The Jean Grey School students? Actually, I think they did get at least one graduation. So good for them, they're the exception to the rule.

And finally, Krakoa, where they didn't even try to give the kids any formal schooling. Literally zero effort put in. Unschooling gone wild.

So... yeah, not a great track record and that's not even asking any of the other questions that need to be asked about the school. Like, Xavier and later Magneto as headmaster were clearly the sole teachers - which is fine given the class sizes - but what was even in the curriculum?

And later, did the kids learn normal school subjects? All we see of classes (that I can remember) are ethics with Emma Frost and flying with Northstar. Was there math class? English? History?

Was the school even accredited? Would any colleges accept transcripts from it? Do the All-New, All-Different X-Men even have their GEDs? (assuming: Kurt, no. Ororo, no. Piotr, yes (the Russian equivalent). Logan and Sean, doesn't matter.)

All that to really say: Bobby Drake is lucky he was able to graduate and become a CPA.

[jrrglobal]

I lived in Bangkok for almost a year in 2001-2002. To get one's visa renewed with the least amount of hassle, we'd rent a taxi for the day to go to Poipet, Cambodia. I don't remember how long it took at the time; Google says the drive takes almost four hours now. The van — the taxi was always a van — dropped us off at what was commercially and visually and cinematically a border outpost.

The point was to wade through this on the Thai side — I don't remember the name of the Thai town — cross a little wood and stone (I think) bridge to Poipet, get the passport stamped to show we'd left Thailand, then hop back in the taxi for BKK.

Everywhere in Asia was wild to me, Poipet no different. There was a row of homes on the Cambodian side that were mainly open-air sweatshops, rows of women in what looked like garages bent over sewing machines. We were told that to get the wares across the border without paperwork, a posse of kids would dress themselves in as many layers of the newly stitched clothes that they could still function in, walk across the little bridge into Thailand, and undress, giving the clothes to a businessman on the Thai side. Nobody taxes the clothes you're wearing, right?

Skip the rinsing, just repeat.

But man, if these weren't the cutest kids.

There were all kinds of little'uns on the border, many of them tending to babies, the heart gently weeping for all of them.

They all knew how to pose and smile, because that helped get money from tourists making the same run I was. Cambodians, though, are unreasonably happy considering their history over the past half century, so I'd have a hard time telling pose from artifice.

Strolling through Poipet, I heard some kids yell, "Hello, mister! Hello!" I turned to my left, and there was a small group of younglings on a hill not far away, waving and beaming. Having got my attention, they leveled up with, "Hello, mister! Fuck you, mister!"

To my right there was a small concrete structure, a school. The teacher emerged to explain that kids learned English from the DVDs that found their way to this hole-in-the-jungle, so they repeated what they saw and heard. Swear words are always the most fun to say. They're made for emotion, feeling, theater.

Teacher in the background left, yours truly background right, with all those wily kids ready to teach me more about how culture got exported before the Internet.

Cutest goddamn kids ever.

I haven't been back to Poipet since 2001. Going to fix that this year.

[onyxsboxes]

Mmh let's see

1. Favorite book/The book that stayed with you the most

2. What would be the trip of your dreams?

3. What was your favorite subject in school?

❤️❤️

Hi anon ❤️

I'm going with “Into the Wild” by Erin Hunter, I loved this series as a kid and knew this book by heart. (It was also the first book I read in English, but as I knew from the first words of the chapter what was going to happen, it took me years to finish it in English (so it literally stayed with me for a long time 🤭)).

I've never thought too much about it, but I'd love to have the time to learn a new culture, a new history, meet new people 🥰

It was science: physics/chemistry, engineering :)

Thank you for the questions 🥰

anonymously message me (3) things you want to know about me

[thanakite]

Just read about how a teacher was apparently convinced by his 4th grade students to show them "Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey" which as some of you may know is an unrated horror movie

I'm baffled by this because in high school I learned more about ratings and how they dictate what teachers can and cannot show to students (the teacher in question explained it best as that he could record the hallways of our high school and likely wouldn't be able to show it to us (high school students) because R rated = more than one use of the word "Fuck" and high school kids say that all the time in the hallways, and unrated is pretty much always considered as "worse than R-rated" even if that isn't necessarily the case)

Based on what I learned schools are typically overly cautious about these things and thus in 4th grade students likely wouldn't be watching anything more than G-rated films without prior permission from the school and the parents

So for this guy to be "convinced by his students" to watch an unrated movie is absolutely wild to me when he likely wouldn't have shown them a PG movie, let alone PG13, R-rated, or (as was the case) unrated

How does that even happen?

Plus apparently the kids started asking for him to turn it off part way in and he didn't which is also baffling and concerning

Like totally one thing for a kid to watch that at home at that age because it's up to their parents but schools do have rules about this kind of thing

Oh! Also this was apparently for math class and like I might have been slightly more understanding if it was history or English, but why would they watch that in a math class?

[billconrad]

My Favorite Books

    To make a list of my favorite books complete, I have to start at the beginning. I was not too fond of reading in kindergarten and did not pick up a book for fun until about the fifth grade. I listed some early gems to provide a perspective into my twisted mind. Side note: I do not expect you to look up these ancient titles and click “buy it now.”

    My first favorite book was The New Adventures of The Mad Scientists Club by Bertrand Brinley. It was about a bunch of kids who had adventures with loose technology tie-ins. I must have read that book ten times. I still have my beat-up copy and looked it over for this article. The author had a basic writing style with great story techniques. Perfect for a kid learning how to read.

    In junior high, I read Lightning in His Hand, the Life Story of Nikola Tesla by Inez Hunt. Tesla was a fantastic man, and I wanted to know everything about my hero. I still have the book, and I glanced at a few pages. The content surprised me because the author glorified the man rather than presenting the facts. I was also surprised that the copyright date was 1964. The writing was basic, but this story was perfect for a kid who wanted to learn about his hero.

    There were, of course, the Hardy Boys series and a book titled, Torpedo Run by Robb White. These were available at our local library, along with other kids’ books. I had another favorite that I am struggling to remember the title. It was about two boys taking a white-water rafting raft trip down the Grand Canyon. One boy was named Crowbar. I wanted to have an adventure like that. Friends like that as well…

    In high school, I enrolled in advanced English classes and got into the classics. Jack London! What an author. I loved White Fang and Call of the Wild. Another favorite book was A Bell for Adano by John Hersey. This was the first book that got me hooked on excellent writing. Then there was Earnest Hemingway, For Whom The Bell Tolls and Old Man And The Sea. What an author! His words had so much depth and perspective.

    Notably missing from this newfound reading experience was science fiction. At that point in my life, I had no interest, but that changed when a friend loaned me his copy of Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy. I was hooked and read everything by Douglas Adams. Then I branched out into other science fiction, but non-fiction was notably missing from this early list. To me, reading about actual events was not fun. Also, non-fiction books for kids were not popular.

    I did not have time to read in college because it was study or perish. While I took several English classes (I have an English minor) they were less advanced than my high school classes. In fact, I re-read many books. Alright, truth. Sometimes I did not re-read them. I still had the same high school write-ups/reports and tweaked them to fit what my college professors asked for. Based on my fellow students, East Coast schools were much stronger in math but weaker in English.

    After college, reading held no interest for me. Libraries have fallen out of favor, and books cost money. Bookstores do not refund your money if you like a book. How rude!

    Two events changed the course of my reading. Bang! The internet. Cheap books! Free books!!! Online reviews! Wow! The problem was that reading a long book on a computer screen was difficult. Then came book e-readers—a perfect combination. I began reading A LOT. I was finishing 1-2 books a week. I even set up a stand for my Paperwhite Kindle and a carefully positioned reading lamp to comfortably read in bed. I expanded into every conceivable topic and read every night. It was a whole new world of story and knowledge.

    Not you know my twisted history and here are my most enjoyable books:

    One day, I was talking to my friend Dave about books. He was an avid reader and mentioned The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. (I did not know who he was.) The story blew me away. The Graveyard Book is probably the best book I have ever read. I instantly dived into Neil’s books and read every scrap I could find. Neverwhere, an astounding work. So over-the-top and completely creative. What a fantastic author. Neil, if you read this, please write a sequel to The Graveyard Book.

    I had always known that Tom Clancy wrote great spy stories. However, I thought his books were too complex to understand or read. After two years of hardcore reading, I felt I was at the reading level where I could attempt one of his works. I downloaded The Hunt for the Red October. What a brilliant book, and to my surprise, it was not as difficult as I had imagined. I liked the premise behind his stories and the prominent characters. My only complaint was that Tom Clancy jumped around too much, even within paragraphs. I eagerly awaited his subsequent work, and suddenly, Tom Clancy passed away—a sad day. The new guy that “writes in the Tom Clancy universe” does not have the gift. Bummer.

    I discovered the John Wells spy novel series by Alex Berenson. In many ways, I like Alex’s books much more than Tom Clancy’s. His stories are personal, believable, and have realistic plots. I cannot wait until his next book. On a side note, his books inspired me to write my third book, Cable Ties.

    I randomly came across The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What a fantastic book, and all of his other books were outstanding.

    Another talented author is Homer Hickam. I loved the Rocket Boys series. What an amazing life he led—a superb storyteller.

    The rest of the books I wanted to mention were one-hit wonders. I wouldn’t say I liked the other books by that author.

    700 Sundays by Billy Crystal. He led an extraordinary life and had wonderful stories. I truly felt like I was in the same room with Billy as he told me his life story.

    Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. A very intense, creative book that gave me a lot to think about.

    Guns Up! by Johnnie Clark. It is a fantastic description of being a soldier in Vietnam. Excellent characters and writing. Again, a lot to think about.

    One Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. I like good stories about great people. This book was no exception, and I enjoyed every word. However, I’m learning that some facts were “stretched.” Still a good read.

    Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. A sincere and personal story. Life was difficult back then, and this book is a stark reminder. A popular book and a great read.

    Escape From Camp 14 by Blaine Harden. This book contains an astounding story of survival in a horrible place. North Korea is a stain on our great world, and we must do more to help the people there. A painful but good read.

    Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale. A great storybook about an audacious conman. His words had such personality, and he led a fantastic life.

    Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. This book blew me away. It had the most complex story I have ever read. Simply astounding. The problem is that Neal took this theme too far in his next books. They were too complex, and I could not untangle the plot enough to enjoy the story. Perhaps if his later works came with a guide, I might have gotten into them.

    Digital Apollo by D. Mindell. The Apollo program was the genesis of modern embedded computing. This book is a fascinating account of this early effort. It touches on every aspect of how big projects come together. This intriguing read left a big impression.

    Failure Is Not an Option by Gene Kranz. This book is in the same vein as Digital Apollo. The difference is that this story is focused on management.

    Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikotter. This book is a detailed study of the largest failure ever. Over 30 million people lost their lives to multiple artificial catastrophes. These people needed a voice, and we need to understand the past so that we do not repeat it. This read was painful but essential.

    The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux. This book is hilarious, and it made me ask: Is he that smart or that crazy? Such a splendid book. The movie was not great as it failed to capture the book’s crazy spirit.

    Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern. This book made me laugh out loud so many times. What a brilliant account of a person who does not care about what anybody else thinks.

    Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty. The neat thing about books is they can transport you anywhere. I did not know what goes on in a funeral home. This book brings readers to a fascinating place and is a great story about someone finding herself.

    Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. This book is a complete enigma. It was simple yet astounding. Superb characters that did little. This book should be required reading, but to understand why, you must read it yourself. Best title ever!

    The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. This book was as inspiring as it was depressing. A fascinating story about a wonderful man. This book was the most emotional story I ever read.

    A Writer at War by Vasily Grossman (Antony Beevor). I struggled to ask myself if I should include this book. It was an extremely tough read. People can be over-the-top cruel, and the wreckage they leave behind will forever haunt us. A paragraph in this book is a stark reminder of just how much evil can exist on this earth. I think about this paragraph occasionally, and I choose not to share the details because this list should be fun.

    Books do not have to be epic to be great. They can be harsh, thought-provoking, and confrontational. A Writer at War gave me a lot to think about in a bad way. I enjoyed it for the same reason I enjoy eating sour candy. Do I recommend you read it? I am unsure, but it is a story that must be told.

    And finally, Interviewing Immortality by well… Me. Is this a shameless plug? Perhaps. I have read my story at least 50 times during my self-edits. I wrestled with each word and made many changes. I went to bed thinking of the characters and woke up thinking about the plot. It was a struggle, a joy, a failure, a pain, a success, a chore, and an inspiration.

    So why do I include my book? After all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into creating a book worthy of putting on the market, I still like the story. My characters are honest, and they go on a true journey. My words have heart, and the plot still captures my interest. I want to know what happens next in their lives. Now, here is the real question. Would I like to buy this book at a bookstore? At full price? Without a refund? Is this truly the type of story I would like to read?

    I have considered this story for over 20 years, and it never got boring. The answer is a definite yes. This story is precisely the type I enjoy. I believe the unique story premise firmly stands on its own. I also like the characters. They have their own agenda, flaws, and mysteries. At the same time, they amaze and surprise.

    It’s funny. Just last night, I was writing the third book in the series, Saving Immortality, and I had to look at Interviewing Immortality to ensure I had a correct fact. As I searched, I began reading. While I have almost memorized every word, I still wanted to read the next paragraph. The story still intrigues me. No, this is not a shameless promotion. I think that I would enjoy this reading this book if I was transported to a reality where I knew nothing about it. I would be excited to read the sequel and see what other books were in the works. Bill Conrad could be my new favorite author. (Alright, truth. Even I have to admit that that last sentence was a shameless plug. Let’s hope he is not one hit author.)

    I enjoyed about 100 other books but did not feel they needed to be included. So little time. The question is: What does my favorite selection of books say about me? I have many interests and specific story tastes. For example, I would not read a book just to read. It needs to be something specific to attract my attention. A lot of my life is like that. No gray areas. I suppose the characters I write about also do not have gray areas. That is probably why I enjoy reading my works.

    You’re the best -Bill

    July 15, 2023

    Hey book lovers, I published four. Please check them out:

    Interviewing Immortality. A dramatic first-person psychological thriller that weaves a tale of intrigue, suspense, and self-confrontation.

    Pushed to the Edge of Survival. A drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

    Cable Ties. A slow-burn political thriller that reflects the realities of modern intelligence, law enforcement, department cooperation, and international politics.

    Saving Immortality. Continuing in the first-person psychological thriller genre, James Kimble searches for his former captor to answer his life’s questions.

    These books are available in soft-cover on Amazon and eBook format everywhere.